Patience; the new endurance sport.

I went to Goblin Valley, hiked Little Wild Horse and Bell  slot Canyons, drove the Monument Valley loop on the Navajo Indian Reservation, and hiked Delicate Arch at Arches, all in the past 4 days, thanks to fabulous friends who like my company enough to let me camp out with them.  The thing worth mentioning on the running blog was taking a few minutes to get dropped off to run about 2 miles down the long road to the sign along the highway into Monument Valley that says "Forrest Gump ended his cross country run at this spot, 1980".  I've always loved the movie, and the moment when Forrest suddenly stops running, being followed by a pack of other runners seeking his wisdom, after 3 back to back transcontinental crossings. That moment, when he realizes he is done running is poignant.  Aren't we all running away from pain, from our sadness?  Having recently moved, cut my 8 inches off my hair, reevaluated my motivation and time commitment to running, I wondered if I was, like Forrest, ready to stop running 'from' what's been eating me alive most of the  past 6 years.  Am I ready to stop running?  If not literally, figuratively?

Wow.  I got a call from Catherine this morning at 6:45 (8:45 Knoxville time) to say that Boston Marthon had filled in 6 hours yesterday.  We were going to sign up today....we've been planning it since she left in august (since she requalified for Boston at Ogden really).  We've been waiting all this time, and now  it's FULL!!  Why did we wait a day?  All this, on top of  missing the St. George lottery.  The Universe has conspired against us for the past 6 months  :(  Boooohooooo.  I couldn't believe the news (so early in the morning it wasn't getting into my brain).  Now, I'm more awake and fully bummed out. But sadder for Catherine, because at least I got to go run it once.  Who knew it would fill up in less than a day?  I guess I really did end my cross country running on the same spot as Forrest Gump. 

Ok, so after my friends in Hopkinton, Salem and Newell found out I had not made the Boston Marathon sign up after the historic 6 hour electronic mosh pit mayhem --but that our other mutual friend in Utah, Marisa, had--it was suggested that I should come anyway and that they'd drop me off at the start to bandit the race (they work for the city of Boston and the State of Massachusetts respectively).  I'd prefer it, if someone just knew the race director and got me 2 legitimate spots.  Not that I don't mind stealing a race (shhhh! 2 marathons this year), but the Boston Marathon?  I don't know, that's like moving from petty larceny to grand theft.  I keep thinking about Forrest Gump finally stopping in the middle of the desert--done . Am I done?  I emailed a friend the picture of the sign where Forrest Gump stopped running on the road to Monument Valley.  His response was "of course he stopped. Why would anyone KEEP running?"  Well, Joe, only real runners know he should have at least quit at the end of the road, not in the middle of it. I'm going to sign up for Ogden now see if I can get in one legitimate Marathon next year. 

AP 9:27 I ran in the full, bright moonlight around the cementary and back. It was actually kind of spooky in the dark. I get breathing pretty good going up that steep hill mile (at the Pioneer 10K they call that hill "Goliath"). We (me and the dogs) miss the trail so much. They suffer the loss more than me...now bored in the back yard, they wreck my patio furniture and dig holes in the grass. Six miles a day on the trail used to keep them docile as lambs. As for the marathon madness....my contacts at Zion's Bank are still trying to find out of they can get me an available spot at Ogden, in the meantime, Cath and I have signed up for the National Marathon in DC for Saturday, March 26th. It's not the Marine Corps Marthon I've been wanting to run for 4 years, but at least it's a Spring Marathon, away from Utah where I can see both Cath and my sister. The winter training should be "interesting". I'll have to start up in late December. Not sure how well I care do do, since it's an unfamiliar race and my ultimate goal will be to requalify for Boston at Utah Valley Marathon in June (should I actually get on the ball and register ON TIME).

I took the dogs up behind the cementary up, up, up where the trails crisscross  and deer paths lattice the mountainside..  The view of the valley grew smaller and smaller framed by orange scrub oak and yellow mountain grass.  I had to walk a few of the rockier, steep trails but the view was spectacular once I got as high as I could.  The bulbous grey clouds were below me as I watched heavy rain sweep across the valley from South to North.  There are days so beautiful in Utah in the autumn, they border obscenity. Like the thin line between insanity and genius.  Seconds after I was washed with that Universal communion up on the mountainside, the rain started to pitter patter, and by the time I was home I was 100 % soaked.  I love the mile home, it's downhill and flat and I can really turn it on.